TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Who is the system administrator for Genesis?
- Responsibilities and Expectations of the Sysadmin
- Manage Access to Genesis Support
- Maintain Genesis Security and Employee Access
- Manage Integration with 3rd Party Software
- How to Stay Informed
- GenMessaging Alerts
- Organize Genesis Training for Staff
- Create a Knowledge Base for the district
- Additional Items to Maintain in Genesis
- Maintaining the Parent Portal
- Manage Documents
- Organize the District’s Summer Rollover
Who is the system administrator for Genesis?
Districts using Genesis must appoint one or more lead users to be the system administrators for Genesis. These are users with full (‘sysadmin’) access to Genesis, and are responsible for overseeing the setup of Genesis, the security policy, and third-party software integration to name a few. System Administrators must act as the liaison between Genesis Support and other users at the district. They can also authorize additional staff members to contact support on behalf of the district.
Responsibilities and Expectations of the Sysadmin
The following duties may be assigned to different administrators within the district:
Manage Access to Genesis Support
Genesis maintains a list of personnel that are authorized to contact support on behalf of the district. The Genesis Support Team is not permitted to assist unknown callers, so the system administrators must ensure this list is accurate. You may contact support to see which users are on the list of district-approved callers. Genesis may also ask you to verify this list during the district’s Rollover each Summer.
Managing Access to the Ticket System
Only users with accounts for our ticket system can submit tickets to Genesis Support, regardless of their level of Genesis access. Tickets are submitted to ask questions, report issues, request Genesis training, request a feature enhancement, or request setup for a third-party interface.
To add or remove access for users, submit a ticket with the employee’s First Name, Last Name, District E-mail Address, and Phone Number. Users with access are automatically added to the list of authorized callers for your district. You may also submit a ticket to request a list of the district’s current ticketing accounts.
SIS Ticket System: https://support-sis.genesisedu.com
SchoolFi Tickets: https://support-sf.genesisedu.com
Provide Genesis Support for the District
Since Genesis cannot provide direct support to the majority of the district’s users (teachers, counselors, parents, and students) the district should appoint a liaison between Genesis Support and the users who require the most assistance.
Help Desk Hours and Contact Information
The Genesis Help Desk for the student information system is operational Monday-Friday from 7:30AM to 4:30PM and may be contacted by phone (732-521-2002 x4) or via ticket. Here are the other extensions of the Genesis offices:
Main Genesis Phone Number: (732) 521-2002
Option 4: SIS Help Desk (assistance with student information system)
Option 5: SchoolFi Help Desk (assistance with staff management system)
Option 6: Systems Support (asst. with E-mail/Server/Network/etc.)
Option 7: Sales
Option 8: Admin Office (asst. with billing questions)
The System Administrator field inside Genesis
You can update the System Admin and System Admin Email fields in Genesis in order to receive special updates directly from the Genesis Support Team. These fields represent our main point of contact for the district. Visit the following screen in Genesis to edit this information:
1. "Setup" module
2. "Districts" tab
3. "List of Districts" tab
4. Click on the district's name in blue
5. On the next screen, look for the "System Administrator" section
Maintain Genesis Security and Employee Access
Each district is responsible for the security of their Genesis system. A Genesis representative may help you with this process but are not permitted to alter your district’s security settings. Districts should appoint a security coordinator, to be responsible for maintaining the security policy in Genesis, including the following:
Managing of ‘sysadmin’ Users
The sysadmin or ‘System Administrator’ role is a type of access level, which grants full access to the entire Genesis system. Users with sysadmin access have permission to see and change data on all Genesis screens. It is important to track exactly how many active users there are with the sysadmin role. Users such as this will appear in bold when searching for users on the Setup > Security > Users screen.
Maintaining all other accounts
All users must access Genesis using separate accounts, and Genesis accounts must be created by the district. When the district has a new employee who needs Genesis access, they must be added to the list of users on the Setup > Security > Users screen. The new user’s access and options can be copied from an existing user. Only users with ‘sysadmin’ access may manage Genesis accounts.
Important pieces to a Genesis account:
- Username, First Name, Last Name, and Description
- Email Address (required for many automated alerts)
- Enabled [Y/N]
- Force Password Change (on next logon) [Y/N)]
- Home Screen
- Data Visibility (disables access to search certain students)
- Report Scheduling Options (ability to schedule reports in advance)
- Roles Assigned
- Staff Assigned (the employee who represents this user)
Click Here for more information on managing security
Managing User Permissions
A user’s access is granted based on all of their assigned roles. Roles are the different levels of access (ex: ‘Registrar’ or ‘Master Scheduler’) that are available for the district, and there are no default roles included with Genesis. A user can be assigned multiple roles for a combined access. The list of roles for the district can be found on the Setup > Security > Roles screen. Each role has a list of ‘securable locations’ or specific screens where access is given.
Maintaining the Security Policy
The security policy refers to the district’s password complexity rules and managing passwords on a mass-scale. Genesis allows you to set rules for minimum password length overall, as well as minimum number of alpha characters, numbers, and/or special characters, which are configured within the Setup > Security > Policy screen. This screen also has tools in place to force all users to change their password upon their next logon to Genesis.
More information on maintaining security and users:
Genesis Passwords Best Practices Guide
Security & Access Training Videos
Manage Integration with 3rd Party Software
Setting up a New Interface
To enable a new connection with Genesis and another software product, districts must first submit a ticket to request the interface be enabled for your district. You will then receive a quote for this service attached to your ticket. Once a purchase order has been received, you will see the new integration task listed with the other tasks on the Core > Scheduler > Tasks screen in Genesis.
The interface must then be enabled and scheduled to run at a specific time each day. It must also be configured with your server or SFTP information to establish the connection with your vendor. In addition, all of the integration tasks have their own preference options which you must also configure depending on the district’s needs.
See the 3rd Party Interface Implementation Guide
List of 3rd Party Interfaces Available
Managing Alerts for Integrations
For each active interface, Genesis records a log every time it is run. The log will track the time it started or finished, along with any errors that occurred while running. Users may subscribe to receive alerts for any or all integration tasks, for every failed and/or successful run, by configuring the Core > Scheduler > Alerts screen in Genesis. To subscribe, add your e-mail address first, then check off each task you would like to receive these e-mail notifications for.
How to Stay Informed
The Genesis INFO Module
Genesis has its own module called Info which is used only for information. There are three sections in this module, which Genesis will continue to add to. It is recommended all district administrators subscribe to all 3 types of information:
Release Notes
Just about every day, Genesis will release an update containing new features, enhancements, fixes, and other information. Subscribe to the Info > Release Notes screen to receive alerts that contain details of each release and what was changed in Genesis. Users who subscribe to these updates will also receive important e-mail blasts from Genesis.
Newsletters
Genesis will release a quarterly newsletter, containing a summary of all the new features and enhancements that were released in the last few months. Visit the Info > Newsletters screen to see previous newsletters.
Webinars
Genesis offers public webinar trainings which any users can attend. The webinars are held live and are free to join. Visit the Info > Webinars screen to see the webinars currently on the schedule and register for them. You may also subscribe to this screen to receive updates whenever new webinars are added to the schedule.
More information on the INFO module...
System Admin Communication
Genesis has a field for System Administrator's Email Address, which we will use as a first point of contact should any major issues arise. In an effort to improve communication with the district's lead Genesis person, please ensure the System Administrator section is filled out completely, from within the [Setup > Districts > List of Districts > Modify District] screen in Genesis.
GenMessaging Alerts
Located on the Setup > GenMessaging screen, this feature was released in 2017. The GenMessage feature allows districts to setup internal alerts for any staff member in Genesis. These alerts have a very wide range of usage, including special alerts for Principals, Teachers, and Nurses. Examples of these alerts include student discipline alerts, attendance warnings, new or exiting student alerts, address changes, and expiration alerts.
Click here for a list of all available alert types
Click here for more information on the GenMessaging feature
Organize Genesis Training for Staff
Following the district’s first school year with Genesis, the district may request training from a Genesis representative by submitting a ticket with the requested training. Genesis offers training both remote (via webinar) or on-site (at the district). Please include which type the district prefers and the following information on your ticket:
- Location of the Training
- Preferred Training Date(s)
- Estimated number of attendees / Description of the audience
- Specific details on what items/modules need to be covered
All webinar trainings offered by Genesis are free of charge. If the district requested on-site training, Genesis will attach a professional service quote to your ticket. The rate for onsite training is based on the number of “half day” training sessions, which are approximately 2 to 2 and half hours in length.
More Information on Live Genesis Training
Click here to see a list of the recorded training videos available
Create a Knowledge Base for the district
While Genesis has many step-by-step guides and documentation available, there are some features which are used differently by every district. You may also have a set of jobs or tasks that are specific to your district, for example: “The B.O.E. requires a report to be sent every month. Here is the monthly report they need, and here are the steps to run it…etc. etc.” – Because of this, we suggest having a guide developed from within the district, that would outline any Genesis routines and practices that are specific to the district, or specific to one user or position. This will also be quite valuable when a district is undergoing changes in staff, or when a new system administrator is hired.
Additional Items to Maintain in Genesis
Maintaining the Parent Portal
The parent portal is not an automatic function. There are several items that must be completed at least once per school year, to ensure your parent/student portal operates properly:
- Create Portal accounts for any new parents
- Update existing accounts with new students
- Update accounts to the correct access role
- Run maintenance tools to clean out old accounts for students who are no longer with the district
- Revise and Republish Parent Forms as necessary
- Pre-set dates for when Report Cards and grades should be made visible to parents
- Activate / Inactivate Parent Portal, or any specific features such as Schedules
ALWAYS test out your Parent/Student Portal prior to opening the portal or activating a new feature!
Click Here for more information on the Genesis Parent Portal
Manage Documents
Document Management is a Genesis module that allows districts to store documents in Genesis. It gets enabled by request, but if you see this module in your Genesis, then it is already enabled. Access and ability to import documents and files are controlled by the ‘document types’ setup on the Doc.Mgt > Setup screen. Districts hosted by Genesis receive document storage space by Genesis. However, districts operating Genesis on their own server must identify how much storage space is available.
Free Up Document Space
Documents being stored in Genesis take up space, which will eventually run out. Users will have issues importing additional files into Genesis when this happens. The Document Management > Manage Documents screens will allow you to clear out documents no longer needed in Genesis. For example, you may use the Student Documents screen to export different student documents so they are saved first, and then mass-delete them.
How much Document Storage is Left?
If your district’s site is hosted by Genesis, you may contact support to find out how much document storage space is being utilized, and how much space is left. You may also submit a ticket to request additional storage space.
Click here for more information on managing documents
Organize the District’s Summer Rollover
Each school year, a district administrator must work with Genesis to schedule the district’s Summer rollover, and complete over the phone with a Genesis representative.
Opening a ticket with Support
The first step is to submit a ticket requesting your district’s Summer rollover. If you need a specific date, please submit your ticket early, as appointments fill up quick and are scheduled on a first-come basis. The ticket should include 2-3 preferred dates for your rollover to occur, and a representative will work with you to confirm the best possible date. You will also be given a list of items to attach to your ticket, which are required in order to process the district’s rollover.
Pre-Rollover
A Genesis representative will reach out to the district’s Summer rollover administrator to verify all of the required items are in place. They will inform the district if there is anything missing from the Rollover Checklist, such as district calendar, start/end dates, marking period dates, etc. – this checklist is added to your rollover ticket each year. The representatives will also ensure that everything is set properly within Genesis, which includes verifying that every student is set with a “Next Year School” and “Next Grade Level”. If anything requires the attention of the district’s administrator, the representative will direct them on how to proceed.
Click here for more information on the pre-rollover process
Day of the Rollover
The Genesis representative assigned to your district’s rollover will reach out to you on the date and time the rollover was scheduled for. They will run final checks with you over the phone, to ensure all items are in place prior to the rollover being run. They will also inform you if there has been any data copied to next school year in advance, that perhaps should not have been. This call should take no more than 30-60 minutes, after which the representative will ‘run’ the rollover, which you do not need to remain on the phone during.
Post-Rollover
After your Summer rollover is finished, the Genesis representative will begin configuring the new school year, including setup of the school/district calendars, marking period / interim / trimester dates, honor rolls, and GPA’s. Next, they will reach out via your rollover ticket to inform you that the rollover has been complete, and a “post-rollover work sheet” will be attached to your ticket as well. The ticket will outline all post-rollover items that Genesis is responsible for completing, as well as items that the districts are responsible for completing. Some of these items may not apply to your district, but it is very important that you complete/review the packet.
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